HERO personnel served in a leadership role (“air traffic control”) to ensure an effective, efficient, and coordinated response to the H1N1 pandemic over an extended period of 12 months.
Incident command
Ensured that key campus leaders, including Officer of the Day, were informed of response actions and issues at all times. Provided routine communications to 75 member operations team to ensure shared understanding of the pandemic and response actions on campus. Compiled daily or weekly situation reports to ensure ongoing situational awareness. Completed successful implementation of a Department Operations Center during the time of heaviest coordination and information needs. Maintained ongoing communications with federal, state and local public health authorities, UMMC, and UMP.
Vaccine distribution
Facilitated procurement of vaccine from regional partners as needed. Worked with Boynton Health Service to plan and implement vaccine distribution efforts reaching 10,344 students, staff, faculty, and dependents on the Twin Cities campus. Participated in adverse reaction review, interfacing with MDH and ensuring that key administrators were informed as needed.
Human resources
Worked with Human Resources to complete new administrative policy and to ensure that employee questions and concerns were handled consistently and accurately. Convened ad hoc task force to develop personal protective equipment guidelines. Worked closely with Office of Occupational Health and Safety to address various additional worker and student safety issues.
Teaching
Worked closely with the Provost’s Office on assessment of academic policies, information and support to faculty. Worked with Office of International Travel to review study abroad program issues.
Residence halls
Worked with Housing and Residential Life and Boynton Health to develop plans for residence halls including self-isolation procedures.
Communication
Coordinated team of personnel from URelations, HERO, Boynton Health and the Campus Public Health Officer to develop all campus-wide messages and web-based information systems.
Outreach
Provided numerous and varied presentations internally and externally on our campus plans and response. Invited speaker on H1N1 response at National Association of College and University Attorneys Annual Meeting.